Simple stuffed pancakes for supper last night. Felt very full afterwards, worth the effort.
Ingredients for the filling
1 small bag of baby spinach
2 medium leeks finely shredded
150g chestnut mushrooms finely sliced
100g grated Emmental or similar cheese
50g butter
Salt, Pepper and Nutmeg to season
Make four pancakes in the normal fashion and put aside while you make the filling
Sweat the leeks in a pan with the butter until softened, add the mushrooms and fry again until softened. Add the bag of spinach and stir till wilted. Add the grated cheese, seasoning and nutmeg and stir together.
Put a 1/4 of the filling in each of the pancakes and fold into a triangle. Put in an oven-proof dish, grate some more cheese on top and grill until browned.
Wednesday, 18 February 2015
Saturday, 31 January 2015
Not Quite a Cock-a-Leekie Soup
Gosh it's been ages since I last wrote a post. I haven't stopped cooking (and I certainly haven't stopped eating) but just haven't got around to writing up my creations. New Year - new resolution to try and post at least once a month.
Sleety, grey skies and a biting north wind and the need to have something warm and satisfying to eat before movie night turned thoughts towards a sturdy soup. A loaf of freshly made bread cooling in the kitchen with some nice cheeses went very well along side it. It started off as being a cock-a-leekie soup but as there is more leek than chicken I was going to call it Leekie-Cockie but that didn't sound very appetising...
Serves 3 with bread and cheese on the side.
Ingredients
3 Medium Leeks, trimmed and sliced
1 Medium Carrot, finely diced
1 Chicken thigh, skinned and diced
1/2 Small Green Cabbage, finely shredded
5g Dried Porcini Mushrooms
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Bay Leaf
1 Handful of Pearl Barley
1 Litre Chicken or Vegetable stock
Method
Sweat off the leaks and carrots with the bay leaf until softened but not coloured.
Add the chicken, stock, pearl barley and dried mushrooms.
Bring to the boil and simmer for 30-45 minutes or until the barley is cooked.
Check seasoning - depending on your stock you may not need any.
Add the shredded cabbage and simmer for another 5 minutes.
Sleety, grey skies and a biting north wind and the need to have something warm and satisfying to eat before movie night turned thoughts towards a sturdy soup. A loaf of freshly made bread cooling in the kitchen with some nice cheeses went very well along side it. It started off as being a cock-a-leekie soup but as there is more leek than chicken I was going to call it Leekie-Cockie but that didn't sound very appetising...
Serves 3 with bread and cheese on the side.
Ingredients
3 Medium Leeks, trimmed and sliced
1 Medium Carrot, finely diced
1 Chicken thigh, skinned and diced
1/2 Small Green Cabbage, finely shredded
5g Dried Porcini Mushrooms
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Bay Leaf
1 Handful of Pearl Barley
1 Litre Chicken or Vegetable stock
Method
Sweat off the leaks and carrots with the bay leaf until softened but not coloured.
Add the chicken, stock, pearl barley and dried mushrooms.
Bring to the boil and simmer for 30-45 minutes or until the barley is cooked.
Check seasoning - depending on your stock you may not need any.
Add the shredded cabbage and simmer for another 5 minutes.
Thursday, 29 May 2014
A Fortuitous Combination
A rainy day in Burford after a late departure (car problems) was saved by a fine lunch at Huffkins and a browse around the wonderful shops along the high street. The Wren Gallery is full of glorious art, just out of our price range unfortunately (or is that fortunately) but this weekend's discovery was Cotswold Cheese Company. A fantastic range of local, national and continental cheeses alongside interesting biscuits, breads, oils, vinegars, olives and pickles. The staff are knowledgeable and friendly and generous with the free samples!
Anyway knowing that we would be arriving late in Nailsworth and not feeling like a full on meal we combined some light as a feather cheese scones with a fresh, soft Windrush Valley goat cheese. It was like a savoury cream tea, just missing a savoury, spicy tomato chutney to fill in for the strawberry jam!
Anyway we bought some more of the cheese (along with some proper Double Gloucester made with raw milk) and I made my own cheese scones to go with.
Makes (8-9 scones)
225g Self Raising Flour
55g Butter
25g Strong Cheddar (Grated)
150ml milk
1tsp English mustard powder
1/2tsp cumin seeds
1/2tsp oak smoked paprika
Mix the flour, mustard, cumin, paprika together and then rub in the butter. Add the cheese and milk and form into a soft dough. Roll out to about 2cm thick and using a 5cm cutter cut out the scones. Gently kneed together the scraps and cut out some more scones to use up the scraps (or make them into cheese straws!).
Brush with milk and bake for 15 minutes at 220C.
Cool and serve with a soft cheese or just with butter. Bet you can't just eat one!
Anyway knowing that we would be arriving late in Nailsworth and not feeling like a full on meal we combined some light as a feather cheese scones with a fresh, soft Windrush Valley goat cheese. It was like a savoury cream tea, just missing a savoury, spicy tomato chutney to fill in for the strawberry jam!
Anyway we bought some more of the cheese (along with some proper Double Gloucester made with raw milk) and I made my own cheese scones to go with.
Makes (8-9 scones)
225g Self Raising Flour
55g Butter
25g Strong Cheddar (Grated)
150ml milk
1tsp English mustard powder
1/2tsp cumin seeds
1/2tsp oak smoked paprika
Mix the flour, mustard, cumin, paprika together and then rub in the butter. Add the cheese and milk and form into a soft dough. Roll out to about 2cm thick and using a 5cm cutter cut out the scones. Gently kneed together the scraps and cut out some more scones to use up the scraps (or make them into cheese straws!).
Brush with milk and bake for 15 minutes at 220C.
Cool and serve with a soft cheese or just with butter. Bet you can't just eat one!
Saturday, 5 October 2013
A Fruity Autumn Tart
Not one my strong points pastry but after having a fab meal at the Gilbert Scott restaurant last week I thought I'd have a go at the pudding I had there.
I used Nigel Slater's recipe (though I added a little vanilla in the frangipan mix).
Even if I say so myself it came out looking rather good!
Hope Liz is not late tonight otherwise it might all be gone!
I used Nigel Slater's recipe (though I added a little vanilla in the frangipan mix).
Even if I say so myself it came out looking rather good!
Hope Liz is not late tonight otherwise it might all be gone!
Monday, 30 September 2013
Pork Chops with Star Anise Scented Plums
I'm on a bit of an inspired cooking binge at the moment after a fine meal at the Gilbert & Scott Restaurant in the St Pancreas hotel on Friday. Fantastic 'Modern British' cuisine in a great setting. On Saturday I picked up two thick, meaty pork chops from the butcher in Pitshanger Lane and decided to combine them with some of the plum glut I have at the moment. Very simple but very tasty.
Serves 2.
Ingredients
2 Pork Chops (nice and thick if possible)
3 Large plums (halved and stoned)
2 Star Anise
Heat a griddle pan till very hot. Oil and season the chops and press pieces of star anise into the plum. Fry the chop for 3-5 minutes on each side. Place the halved plums on the chops and put in a moderate oven (180C) for 15-20 minutes.
Serve with roasted potatoes and green beans.
Serves 2.
Ingredients
2 Pork Chops (nice and thick if possible)
3 Large plums (halved and stoned)
2 Star Anise
Heat a griddle pan till very hot. Oil and season the chops and press pieces of star anise into the plum. Fry the chop for 3-5 minutes on each side. Place the halved plums on the chops and put in a moderate oven (180C) for 15-20 minutes.
Serve with roasted potatoes and green beans.
Sunday, 29 September 2013
A Quick Lunch
Couldn't resist pairing some very ripe figs from the Pitshanger Lane greengrocer's with some ripe tomatoes and courgettes from the garden in a quick lunch before heading into London for a bit of 'culture'. Serves 2
Ingredients
3 Ripe Figs
Small chunk of blue cheese
Parmasan shavings
6 Cherry or small plum tomatoes
1 Small round courgette (or a normal one)
Fresh Thyme
1/2 a lemon
1 tbsp Olive Oil
Balsamic Vineger
Pre-heat the oven to about 150C.
Slice the courgettes length about the thickness of a pound coin (about 3mm for all of those who don't have Pound coins). Mix together the thyme, lemon juice, salt, pepper and olive oil. Griddle courgettes in a ridged pan for 5 or so minutes on each side, adding the tomatoes towards the end.
Meanwhile cut a cross in the top of each fig (to about half-way down), squeeze gently and put 1/3 of the blue cheese in each. Put in the oven for about 7 minutes until the cheese has melted.
Arrange nicely on plates with a few parmasan shavings, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and any marinade that is left.
Ingredients
3 Ripe Figs
Small chunk of blue cheese
Parmasan shavings
6 Cherry or small plum tomatoes
1 Small round courgette (or a normal one)
Fresh Thyme
1/2 a lemon
1 tbsp Olive Oil
Balsamic Vineger
Pre-heat the oven to about 150C.
Slice the courgettes length about the thickness of a pound coin (about 3mm for all of those who don't have Pound coins). Mix together the thyme, lemon juice, salt, pepper and olive oil. Griddle courgettes in a ridged pan for 5 or so minutes on each side, adding the tomatoes towards the end.
Meanwhile cut a cross in the top of each fig (to about half-way down), squeeze gently and put 1/3 of the blue cheese in each. Put in the oven for about 7 minutes until the cheese has melted.
Arrange nicely on plates with a few parmasan shavings, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and any marinade that is left.
Monday, 23 September 2013
Lamb Cakes
This weekend we made our annual visit to the Royal Berkshire Agricultural Show (or as we ill always know it the Newbury Show). As well as lots of animals on show in all their shampooed and primped glory, the craft tent full of glorious treasures there is the farm food tent. As usual we came back with the car loaded up with high quality meat, artisan chutneys and oils and far too many interesting ciders, vodkas and gins!
Last night we had a simple roast leg of lamb (the freezer was full and the lamb wouldn't fit) with some of the vegetables from the garden. Tonight I fancied something different rather than a straightforward salad.
Serves 2.
Ingredients:
3-4 medium potatoes, peeled, boiled and riced
Good handful of shredded or chopped coat roast lamb (beef would work as well)
Bunch of parsley finely chopped
1 egg, beaten
Salt & Pepper
Mix all the ingredients together and shape into four cakes about 1.5cm thick. Put in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm up.
Heat some oil in a pan and shallow fry until crispy and golden on both sides.
Serve with a punchy green salad with watercress and rocket in it. Add some quartered or halved tomatoes and some sliced raw mushrooms. Dress with a vinaigrette (I used a mix of raspberry vinegar and extra virgin olive oil).
Last night we had a simple roast leg of lamb (the freezer was full and the lamb wouldn't fit) with some of the vegetables from the garden. Tonight I fancied something different rather than a straightforward salad.
Serves 2.
Ingredients:
3-4 medium potatoes, peeled, boiled and riced
Good handful of shredded or chopped coat roast lamb (beef would work as well)
Bunch of parsley finely chopped
1 egg, beaten
Salt & Pepper
Mix all the ingredients together and shape into four cakes about 1.5cm thick. Put in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm up.
Heat some oil in a pan and shallow fry until crispy and golden on both sides.
Serve with a punchy green salad with watercress and rocket in it. Add some quartered or halved tomatoes and some sliced raw mushrooms. Dress with a vinaigrette (I used a mix of raspberry vinegar and extra virgin olive oil).
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